I started running again. I've been doing this every few months for the last 12 years. I'll run a few miles a week for about a month and then stop. Usually a combination of soreness, lack of time, and flakeyness on my part are the reasons behind quitting.
Not this time.
I began this time thinking that I wanted to hit a 3:00 marathon. That was this Summer. I began with a few 5-6 mile runs after I read "Born to Run" (it's cliche, I know, but hey, I was inspired!). Then I inched up to a 10 mile there-and-back trail not far from our house. I loved it. I loved seeing myself running so far and not hurting. I experimented with a pair of minimalist shoes and, while interesting, they really didn't seem to work for me when I was doing a lot of miles.
After a few months I found myself picking up the pace until I was averaging under 7:00/mile for the whole 10 and I wasn't anywhere near gassed at the end. I felt like the 3:00 marathon was very much within reach. I was so excited.
Then I realized two things. First, I wasn't feeling injured, despite running 30-40 miles/week. This led to the realization that I might be able to do more, including ultramarathons. I was VERY excited by this. I'd never seen this as something at all within my reach. I'd had too many stress fractures to see myself as anything but a broken "occasional runner."
With the possibilities for much longer distances within my reach, I looked around for ultras that were going to be run nearby. For whatever reason I decided that I wanted to jump in big and go straight for a 100 miler. I wanted to give myself enough time, so I landed on the "Badger Mountain Challenge."
I realized I needed to up my mileage but didn't want to take too much time away from Audi and the girls so I considered running to work once in a while. That's 13 miles from my doorstep to the office. Although I've gone 13 miles before, it's never been with a backpack (my work clothes) and I've never done it twice in a day (the return trip).
I went for it one day this Fall. I was a little concerned about getting lost, as I only had google maps to guide me, but I made it in a little under 2 hours and I felt surprisingly amazing afterward. The return trip wasn't too bad either.
I've been doing that a few times a week for the last two months now and it's been fantastic. I've lost almost 20 lbs and I'm under 160 for the first time since I was a Junior in high school. I wouldn't say I feel really fast, but I feel great. I average around 8:00/mile while wearing a backpack, which seems pretty good to me. I'm not really focusing on running any faster, just more comfortably and consistently.
The biggest shock to me has been the general lack of injury. With the exception of soreness to the balls of my feet and my toes, I feel great. My leg muscles are a little sore during the day, but I still feel great when I run home. I'm very excited by all of this.
